Portable computers, e.g., laptop and notebook computers, provide advantage in their portability, but require certain additional accessories to enhance portability. Among such accessories, portable computer users often carry power supply or transformer devices and mouse or pointer input devices. In addition, some portable computer users carry peripheral devices such as external disk drives, CDROM drives, modems, and a broad spectrum of additional auxiliary equipment often used and carried with a portable computer. As such, portable computer users often carry, in association with their computer and accessories, a bag or carrying case. In some instances, the user dedicates a conventional briefcase or other similar carrying device as a conveyance for their portable computer and associated accessories. In other instances, the user obtains a special purpose bag or case particularly constructed and designed for portable computers and the typical accessories carried therewith.
Thus, people in their portable or mobile use of computing devices, likely transport such portable computing devices in a bag or carrying case. This is especially true for persons traveling with their portable computer. In use, the person finds an available work site, e.g., a chair and table, and sets up their portable computer by removing the portable computer and accessories from the bag and making the necessary connections for power and communication therebetween. While the portable computer is in use, the bag remains at hand but serves no useful purpose until the user returns the portable computer and accessories to the bag for transport.
Because the user often seeks out whatever available work site can be found, such work environments typically do not provide the user with a comfortable or ergonomic work environment. Nevertheless, such computer users often find it necessary to work extended hours at such ergonomically unacceptable temporary workstations. For example, consider a portable computer user traveling and finding need to set up a portable computer at an available location not typically designed for such use. Such user seeks out the nearest table and chair, e.g., a conference room or a hotel room chair and table. The user suffers ergonomically, i.e., endures an unacceptably uncomfortable work environment not matching their needs. As a result, the user may not be as productive as possible and may not be capable of enduring such ergonomically unacceptable work conditions for sufficient time to complete a given task.
Thus, portable computer users suffer from fatigue due to poor ergonomic working positions assumed while doing work out of the home or office, e.g., while traveling and staying at a hotel and the like. A significant contributing factor to such poor ergonomic working positions is the need to select for use a chair and table not typically intended for a computer user.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a portable computer user with improved ergonomic working conditions without requiring modifications at the work site, i.e., allowing the portable user to make use of whatever work site can be found such as typical chairs and tables often the only temporary work environments made available for the portable computer user.
A dual function portable bag according to the present invention includes and interior compartment suitable in size to accommodate a portable computing device. An opening relative to the interior compartment provides access to the interior compartment for placing and removing a portable computing device. The exterior surface of the bag presents a contour having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having a thickness less than the second portion. In a first use of the bag, a portable computing device is carried in the bag in conventional fashion. In a second use of the bag, however, while using the portable computing device, the bag converts an ergonomically unacceptable work site into an ergonomically acceptable work site by placing the bag in a lumbar-supporting position relative to the user. More particularly, the first portion of the bag is positioned below the second portion of the bag and the second portion of the bag, i.e., the thicker portion, provides lumbar support for the user.
The subject matter of the present invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. However, both the organization and method of operation of the embodiments that accord with the invention, together with further advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like elements.